Catherine of Alexandria.

Catherine of Alexandria.

She was the well educated daughter of aristocratic, pagan parents in Alexandria in the 4th century AD.

Converted to Christianity by a hermit, she dreamt she was the bride of Christ and woke up with His ring on her finger.She protested against the persecution of Christians under the pagan Emperor Maximinus. The Emperor sent some philosophers to argue with her: she converted them.

He sent a Centurion: she converted him. Finally the Emperor offered her marriage, she refused him. She was condemned to be broken on the wheel (hence the modern 'Catherine wheel' firework): it was the wheel that miraculously broke.

She was then beheaded and she bled milk. She was carried to heaven by angels, It is written that some pieces of the wheel broke off and killed a large numbers of her pagan persecutors. She was an enemy to political extremism and religious oppression. She was one of the most popular Saints in the Middle Ages.